Machine for bending angle bars



May 30, 1939. w, E. KANE 2,160,216

MACHINE FOR BENDING ANGLE BARS Filed Nov. 23, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet l ZZZ g. 1.

III a J Q lo '6- I 48 F J I 64 May 30, 1939. w E KANE 2,160,216

MACHINE FOR BENDING ANGLE BARS Filed Nov. 25, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 30, 1 939. w, KANE 2,160,216-

MACHINE FOR BENDING ANGLE BARS Y Filed Nov. 25, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet :5

,25 mg; 5 l9 I a W. E KAN E MACHINE FOR BENDING ANGLE May 30, 1939.

Filed Nbv. 23, 1936 BARS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY May 30, 1939. w E AN 2,160,216

MACHINE FOR BENDING ANGLE BARS Filed Nov. 23, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet Patented May 30, 1939 UNETED STATES MACHINE FOR BENDING ANGLE BARS William E. Kane, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Kane & Roach, Ina, Syracuse, N. 1 a corporation of New York Application November 23, 1936, Serial No. 112,191

17 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in an apparatus which particularly pertains to the bending of pieces of angle iron or other metallic bars of various cross sections into arcuate or circular formation.

In forming straight metallic flanged bars such as angle irons into various arcuate contours and particularly where the flanges are relatively heavy and rigid it has heretofore been very difficult to produce accurate results owing to the severe stresses, both compression and tensile to which the flanges are subjected during the bending thereof about an axis normal to the plane of one of the flanges. These widely varying and relatively opposed stresses tend to produce more or less irregular axial buckling and spiral deflection of the flanges in direction of the axis of curvature. In order therefore to produce accurate work whereby the product may be utilized without further bending treatment after leaving the machine it has been found necessary to not only firmly and positively hold the work but to also excessively stretch certain portion thereof simultaneously with the bending operation to oflset the tendency of the work being distorted by the stresses produced thereon during the bending thereof into circular form.

The main objects of this invention are to produce a machine for bending flanged bars which is rapid and accurate in operation and that is simple and durable in construction.

Another object resides in providing a machine of the above mentioned class with means for adjusting the various metal bending and holding elements relative to each other whereby arcuate flanged bars of various thicknesses may be produced on the same machine.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a metal bending machine with cooperating bending and shaping rollers adapted to receive the work therebetween, wherein at least one of the rollers is provided with a tapered surface arranged in such angular relation with the remaining rollers that the flanges of a piece of angle bar will be sufliciently stretched in such a manner that as the angle bar emerges from between the rollers one of said flanges will extend normal to the axis of the curvature while the 50 other flange will extend in parallel relation with said axis.

Other objects and advantages pertaining to the form, relation and operation of the various parts of my novel apparatus will more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plane view of an angle bar bending machine embodying the various features of this invention and illustrating portions thereof broken away.

Figure 2' is a detail horizontal sectional view taken substantially in the plane of the line 22 Figure 5.

Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged detail vertical sectional views taken respectively on lines 3-3 and 44 Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional View taken on line 55 Figure 1.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are detail horizontal sectional views on an enlarged scale taken respectively on lines 6-6, 1-1 and 8-8 Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially in the plane of the line 9-9 Figure 5 and illustrating the gear train for rotating the bending rollers.

Figure 10 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on line l0l0 Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a detail vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on line Hll Figure 1.

Figure 12 is a detail sectional view taken on line l2-l2 Figure 8.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on line I3l3 Figure 5 showing an angle bar being engaged by the bending rollers to produce a circular formation thereof and the manner in which the flanges of the bar are being deflected and stretched by the action of the rollers to offset the tendency thereof to become distorted by the opposed compression and tensile stresses produced thereon.

Figures 14 and 15 are fragmentary vertical sectional views taken respectively on lines Iii-M and 15-45 Figure 13.

Figure 16 is a detail sectional view showing one side of the tapered bending roller and a portion of the angle bar during the initial movement of said bar into engagement therewith.

Figure 17 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on line I l-I1 Figure 2, illustrating a manually operated control means adapted to co-act with the drive means for bending rollers for bringing said rollers into and out of cooperative relation with each other.

Figure 18 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on line l8-I8 Figure 19.

Figure 19 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on line l9l9 Figure 17.

Figure 20 is a perspective view of the control cam shown in Figures 18 and 19.

Figure 21 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view similar to Figure 13 showing a modified form of tapered feeding and bending rollers which are peculiarly adapted for bending angle bars with one of the flanges of the bar extending in a plane normal to the axis of the curvature to be produced and the free edge thereof facing outwardly away from said axis.

Figures 22' and 23 are fragmentary vertical sectional views taken respectively on lines 22-22 and 2323, Figure 21.

Figure 24 is a diagrammatic View illustrating a partial development of the roller structure illustrated in Figures 21 to 23, inclusive, and the action thereof upon the angle bar during the bending operation.

The invention as illustrated in the drawings comp-rises a supporting frame or housing I having a base 2 and a bed plate 3 which is supported upon the base in spaced relation thereto by a right and a left leg or end member 4 and 5. Associated with the housing I are three vertically disposed roller supporting shafts 5, l and 8 which extend from a position above the bed plate 3 downwardly to a position below said plate. Two of the shafts as 5 and l are journaled in suitable bearings 9 mounted in the bed plate 3 and base 2 one of said bearings being illustrated in Figure 3. The other shaft 8 is journaled as shown in Figure 5, in a rock frame I I! intermediate the ends of said frame. This frame I I1 is rotatably mounted at one end on a post II which extends vertically through the housing I with the ends thereof mounted in the base 2 and bed plate 3. The post I I is mounted in the forward portion of the housing I in front and at one side of the shafts 5 and I in such relation to said shafts that when the frame is rocked about the post as a pivot the roller I2 carried by the shaft 8 will be brought into and out of cooperative relation with the rollers I 3 and I4 carried by the shafts 6 and I.

The bending rollers I3 and I4 are each cylindrical members having the peripheral surface thereof extending in parallel relation with the axis of the roller. Each of these rollers is mounted upon a respective shaft in the manner illustrated in Figure 3 between a pair of annular guide discs I5 and I 6. Each roller and its guide discs may be keyed or otherwise secured to the corresponding shaft to be rotated by said shaft and these members are clamped in position on the shaft by the co-action of a nut i! screw threaded on the outer end of the shaft and a peripheral flange I8 made integral with the shaft and which is adapted to engage the upper surface of the bed plate 3 for limiting the downward movement of the shaft. A pair of spacing collars I9 and 20 are mounted on each shaft 6 and I one between the nut IT and the upper guide plate I5 and the other one as 2%! is mounted between the guide disc I5 and the flange I8 for maintaining the rollers I3 and I4 and the guide plates I5 and I6 in predetermined planes above the bed plate 3. The axial length of each bending roller I3 and I4 is equal to the width of the vertical flange of the angle bar to be bent so that when bending angle bars having different Width flanges, the rollers I3 and I4 mounted on the shafts 6 and 'I are replaced by other similar rollers of lengths corresponding to the width of said flanges. The spacing collars I9 and 29 are likewise changed for other collars whereby the bending rollers will be maintained in substan tially the same horizontal plane for all sizes of angle bars to be bent within the scope of the machine.

The bending roller I2 is of frusto-conical formation and is arranged with its larger base lowermost, while the central portion of the upper end thereof is provided with an upwardly extending circular hub 2|. The peripheral surface of hub 2I is spaced from the upper peripheral edge of the roller I2 a distance substantially equal to the width of the horizontally disposed flange of the angle bar to be bent. A guide disc 22 is mounted at the upper end of roller I2 and is spaced from the upper marginal portion thereof by hub 2I to provide an annular groove 23 therebetween for reception of one flange of the angle bar. The disc 22 has the lower surface thereof inclined downwardly and inwardly so as to lie substantially normal to the peripheral surface of the roller I2, as illustrated in Figure 15. It is thus seen that when the vertical flange as a of the angle bar A being bent is in contact with the peripheral surface of the roller I2 the horizontal flange or of said bar may contact with the lower surface of the guide disc 22 and said vertical and horizontal flange will be maintained thereby in substantially right-angular relation to each other. The axial length of hub 2| is substantially equal to the thickness of the horizontal flange a of the angle bar so that said flange will be securely held against lateral displacement when fully positioned in groove 23. The roller I2 is maintained in cooperative alignment with rollers I3 and I4 by a spacing collar 24 mounted between the roller I2 and frame It. A nut I! and spacing sleeves or collars I S and I9 mounted on the upper end of shaft 8 cooperate with collar 24 for securing the roller I2 and disc 22 in position on shaft 8. In certain instances it is found desirable to position roller I2 with the upper edge thereof at one side of the plane of the upper ends of rollers I3 and I4. In such cases shims may be inserted between roller I2 and collar 24 or said collar may be replaced by another of proper width.

The bending rollers I2, I3 and I4 are all driven at the same speed by means of a motor 25 mounted at one side of the base 2 and a train of gears 26 mounted in the housing I. The motor 25 is operatively connected with the train of gears 26 by means of a speed reducing gearing 21 mounted in a gear case 28. The gearing 27 has the drive shaft 29 thereof extending outwardly through the case 28 into the housing I.

This drive shaft 29 may as shown in Figure 9 be journaled in a bearing member 30 secured to one of the side members as 4 of the housing. The gear train 26 comprises spur gear members 3!, 32 and 33 moimted respectively upon the shafts 5, I and 8 to rotate said shafts. The gear member 3| connected with the shaft 6 is operatively connected with the gear 33 mounted on the shaft 8 by means of an idler gear 34 journaled on a stub shaft 35 which extends vertically through the housing I and has the ends thereof supported by the base 2 and bed plate 3. The idler gear 34 is in meshing engagement with an idler gear 35 rotatably mounted upon the post II,

said latter gear being also in meshing engage- F ment with the gear 33 secured to shaft 8. It will thus be seen that when the roller I2 is moved toward and from the rollers I3 and I4 by swinging frame HI about the post II as a pivot the gear 33 will remain in meshing engagement with the idler gear 36. In other words the bending roller I2 may be moved into and out of cooperative relation with the bending rollers I3 and I 4 without operatively disconnecting the shaft 8 from the drive motor 25. This movement of the bending roller I2 toward and from the bending rollers I 3 and It may be manually accomplished by swinging the rock frame I0 about the post II as a pivot.

However, owing to the frictional resistance offered to such swinging movement of frame ID by the gear train 26, reduction gear 2'! and motor 25, it is desirable that this swinging of the frame It be accomplished by power means, as by the motor 25, when the rock frame is released.

In order that the motor 25 may be utilized for swinging frame Ill to and from the operative position thereof, I have provided a manually operated control means for frictionally connecting the frame I il with the roller shaft 8 carried thereby. This control means comprises a brake shoe 31 mounted in a recess Ill formed in the frame I0 adjacent one side of the shaft 8. The brake shoe 3? is secured to one end of a push rod 38 which extends outwardly from the recess It and shoe 3! through a bore I20 formed in a forwardly projecting boss I 2| provided on the frame Ifl. The push rod 38 is mounted for longitudinal reciprocative movement in the bore I20 and has the outer end thereof terminating adjacent an eccentric cam member 39 which is journaled in the outer end portion of the boss I2! to rotate about an axis extending transversely through the bore I20 as shown in Figure 19.

The eccentric cam 39 is maintained in operative relation with the push rod 33 by a pair of side plates 522 secured to the boss IZI, one adjacent a respective end of the eccentric cam as shown in Figures 17 and 19. The eccentric cam 39 has one end provided with a reduced extension 5 23 which extends outwardly therefrom in co-axial relation therewith through a suitable aperture in one of the plates I22. The outer end of this extension I23 is formed rectangular as at I23 to receive a lever 52d by which the cam may be rotated. The end of the push rod 38 adjacent the cam 39 may be provided with a concave recess 38 as shown in Figure 18 extending transversely of the push rod in parallelism with the cam 39 sothat when the cam is moved into engagement with the push rod, said push rod will be maintained against rotation thereby for holding the brake shoe 3'! in operative relation with the shaft 8. The inner surface of the brake shoe 3? is preferably provided as shown in Figures 1'7, 18 and 19 with a lining 3? composed of bronze or other suitable material for frictionally engaging the adjacent peripheral surface of the shaft 8.

When it is desired to utilize the motor 25 for swinging the frame I?) outwardly from its operative position, the eccentric cam 39 is rotated through the medium of the lever I24 to bring the brake shoe into pressure engagement with the shaft 8 so as toproduce a greater frictional resistance to the rotation of the shaft in the frame I0, than that produced at the post II opposing the swing movement of the frame I0 upon said post.

It will now be observed that the frictional resistance thus produced by the shoe 3'1 opposing the rotation of the shaft 8 will cause said shaft 8 and gear 33 connected therewith to remain stationary relative to the frame It as the idler gear 36 is driven by the motor 25. It follows, therefore, that when motor 25 is rotated in the forward direction, the gear 33 will be carried outwardly with the adjacent side of the gear 36 as said latter gear is rotated in the direction of the arrow X Figure 9 and thereby cause the frame It to swing in the same direction. The outward swinging movement of the frame II] is limited by the engagement thereof with the forward end portion of the left-hand side member 4. As the frame is brought to the at rest position the operation of the gear train 26 upon the shaft 8 will overcome the resistance to the rotation of the shaft 8 offered by the brake shoe Si and effect rotation of the shaft 8 and bending roller I2 so that the motor 25 and drive mechanism actuated thereby may safely continue to operate when the frame is in the outermost position without danger of breaking or mutilating any of the members op eratively connected therewith.

Likewise, the frame I0 and bending roller I2 may be returned from the inoperative positions to the normal operative positions thereof by the operation of the motor 25. In the latter case the motor 25 is rotated in its reverse direction so that the gear 36 will then be operated in the direction opposite to that indicated by arrow X Figure 9. The action of gear upon the gear 33 will cause said latter gear to move in unison therewith due to the resistance to the rotation of gear 33 effected by the engagement of the brake shoe 3'! with the shaft 8. The frame It is thus swung inwardly until it is again maintained against further swinging movement by the engagement thereof with the portion of the housing I as the right-hand side member 5.

As the frame I0 is thus maintained against further inward swinging movement, the action of motor 25 and gear train 26 will overcome the friction between the shoe 3'! and shaft 8 and produce rotation of said shaft and roller I2 in unison with shafts 6 and I and the rollers 53 and I4 connected therewith. After the frame III has reached its innermost position, the brake shoe 3'! may be released from frictional engagement with the shaft 8 by returning the cam 39 to its inoperative position whereby the shaft may rotate freely during the normal bending operation of the machine.

The roller I2 is maintained in cooperative relation with the rollers I3 and I l, during the bending operation of the machine and against the swinging action of the gear train 26 and motor 25 produced on the frame II] by means of a holding mechanism 40 which operatively engages the frame I0. This holding mechanism as shown in Figure 11 comprises a latch 4| pivotally mounted as at 42 to one end of a slidebar 43 to swing into and out of engagement with the outer end 44 of the rock frame I!) which is curved outwardly to form a recess 45 for receiving the outer or free end of the latch M. The slide bar 43 is mounted for longitudinal movement in a recess 41 formed in the bed plate 3 at the opposite side thereof from the post II, said recess being enclosed by a cover plate 48 secured to the bed plate. The rear or inner end of the slide bar 43 is connected with a screw member 49 which extends through a nut 50 in screw threaded engagement therewith. This nut 50 is journaled in a gear housing 5! secured to or made integral with the bed plate 3 at the rear of the recess 4?. Secured to the nut 59 to rotate therewith, is a spur gear 53 mounted in the housing 5I and which is in meshing engagement with a pinion 54 secured to one end of the drive shaft 55 of a reduction gearing,

not shown, mounted in a gear case 5'! secured to the rear end of the base I.

The reduction gearing contained in the case 51 may be of any suitable construction and is operatively connected with a motor 58 also mounted on the rear portion of the base 2 as shown in Figure l. A thrust washer 60 may, as shown in Figure 11, be mounted between the inner forward end of the nut 58 and the gear case 5! while a tubular extension 6! is connected with the gear case 5! to extend outwardly therefrom for enclosing the rear portion of the screw member 49.

It will now be observed that rotation of the shaft 55 produced by the motor 58 will rotate the nut 50 for efiecting a corresponding longitudinal movement of the slide bar 43 and latch H connected therewith. It is to be understood however that the motor 58 and reduction gearing in the case 51 may be dispensed with and the slide bar 43 be manually operated as through the medium of a crank 83, secured to the shaft 55 or by other suitable means. The object of the power holding mechanism is is to enable the bending roller E2 to be moved into and maintained in various predetermined spaced relations with the bending rollers i3 and [4 when the latch 4| is in engagement with the frame l6 and an angle bar is mounted between the bending rollers. In order to readily determine the proper position of said slide bar and of the roller i2 for bending an angle bar of a given size I have provided the bar 43 with a pointer 64 which is adapted to extend over the cover plate :8 into cooperative relation with a scale 65 on said plate graduated to indicate fractions of an inch.

The machine is also provided with two pairs of lower and upper guide rollers El and 68 arranged at opposite sides of shaft 8 as shown in Figure 1 for receiving the work therebetween during the entrance and exit of said work between the rollers l2, l3 and I4. The rollers of each pair are arranged to swing toward and from the shaft 8 and the roller carried thereby or, in other words, toward and from the axis of curvature produced on the work so that said rollers may be adjusted to properly engage the work as it is being bent to any one of the various curvatures of which the machine is capable of producing. The guide rollers 6'! are rotatably connected with a respective supporting bracket 76 and Ill. The lefthand bracket T as viewed in Figures 1, and 12, is secured to the upper end of a screw member H which extends downwardly from the bracket It through a nut 12 and into the post H in screw threaded engagement with said nut. The other bracket lit is fixedly secured to the upper end of a screw member l3 arranged at the opposite side of the housing I from the post I! and which extends downwardly through the bed plate 3, the side member 5 and into the base 2.

The screw member H is manually rotated to effect vertical movement of the guide roller 61 to bring the same into proper alignment with the lower guide plate 55 of the rollers l3 and It by means of a lever 15 secured at one end to a disc iii rotatably mounted on the upper end of the nut 12 and which is positioned in a recess 1'! formed in the upper face of the bed plate 3 surrounding the nut 12.

Two detents 18 are pivotally connected to the disc 18 one at either side of the lever l5 as at 19, see Figure 8. .These detents 13 have their ends adjacent the lever yieldingly urged toward the nut l2 by a respective spring 80 secured at one end to said plate 16. These detents are each provided with a recess 8! for the reception of the lateral projection 82 of a respective control slide 83. These slides are mounted one at either side of the lever 15 in a respective groove 34 formed in said lever. The outer ends of the slides 83 are pivotally connected by pins 85 with a control knob 86 which is rotatably connected with the lever '15. This control knob 86 is provided with a spring pressed pin 81, Figure 10, in one side thereof, which is adapted to register in either one of a pair of apertures 88 formed in the lever 15 in spaced relation to each other and in concentric relation with the knob 86.

It will now be understood that by manipulating the knob 88 a selected one of the detents 18 may be maintained out of cooperative relation with the nut 12 which has the upper peripheral edge thereof provided with teeth 72 adapted to receive the forward end of the detents therein. When one of the detents is moved out of operative relation with the nut :72 the other detent is moved by its spring 85 into operative relation with said nut so that by swinging the lever 15 about the axis of the screw H the nut 12 will be operated to effect longitudinal movement of said screw to elevate or to lower the guide roller 6'! connected therewith.

The swinging movement of the arm 75 is limited by a pair of stop members 85 and 89. These stop members are in the form of arcuate cleats one of which as 89 is secured to the plate F6 to extend at opposite sides of the lever 15 as shown in Figure 8. The other cleat 8Q is secured to a cover plate 75 which is mounted over the plate '56 and lever 75 and is secured to the upper face of the bed plate 3. The adjacent ends of the cleats 88 and 83 normally terminate in spaced relation to each other so as to permit the required movement of the lever 75 before the ends of said cleats engage each other. The upper face of the bed plate 3 is provided with a slot or recess 3 which extends outwardly from the recess Tl containing the plate "IE to the adjacent side of the bed plate as shown in Figure 8 through which the lever '55 extends. The width of stop mem bers S8 and 89' is substantially equal to the spacing of plates l6 and 15 while the length of me i.- ber 89 is suficient to extend across the adjacent end of recess 3 at all positions of lever '55 for sealing the chamber thus formed against the entrance of dust and foreign material.

The other guide roller 67 is raised or lowered to bring the same into cooperative relation with the bending rollers by means of a worm 96 mounted on a shaft 9i journaled in the righ hand end member 5 of the housing l. The worm Bil is in meshing engagement with a worm gear 92 rotatably mounted on the screw member 13 in threaded engagement therewith. The outer end of the shaft 9! extends beyond the side memher 5 and has secured thereto a hand wheel 94 by which the shaft and worm may be operated. The Worm gear 92 is mounted in a recess 95 in the side member 5 between the upper and lower walls of said recess so that during the rotation of the worm gear the screw member 73 will be raised or lowered depending upon the direction of rotation of said gear.

Each of the guide rollers 57 may be also rotated about the axis of their respective screw members toward and from the bending roller [2 to bring the rollers into proper angular relation with work of different curvatures. These rollers are releasably secured in the adjusted angular positions in the following manner. The

bracket 10 located at the left-hand side of the bed plate 3 is provided with an arcuate slot 97 arranged in concentric relation with the axis of rotation of said bracket for the reception of a pin 98 which is slidablymounted in an aperture in the bed plate 3 as shown in Figure 4. The upper end of the pin 98 has a reduced threaded portion 98' which extends upwardly through the slot 91 and a nut 99 screw threaded thereon cooperates with the shoulder produced by said threaded portion for clamping the bracket to the pin.

The other roller 61 positioned at the righthand side of the bed plate 3 is maintained in the angular adjusted position by a control arm IE5 positioned in a recess IBI formed in the righthand side member 5 below the recess 95 as shown in Figures 5 and 7. This control arm is keyed to the shaft I3 to rotate with said shaft and at the same time permits the shaft to move axially relative to the arm. The arm has the outer end portion thereof terminated adjacent the outer marginal portion of the recess MI and is provided with a socket I 02 for the reception of a suitable lever such as a pinch bar, large screw-driver or the like, not shown, by which the arm may be swung through the recess IOI for rotating the shaft 73 and the bracket I6 carried thereby. The outer end of the arm Iii! is also provided with a pin H33 adapted to extend into any one of a series of apertures Iil l formed in the upper and lower walls of the recess I for maintaining the arm E00 and therefore the shaft 13 and bracket 10' in the angular adjusted position.

The upper positioned guide rollers 68 are each rotatably connected with a respective bracket I95 which is rotatably mounted upon a respective one of the spacing sleeve I9 mounted upon shafts ii and I. These brackets are of less width than the sleeves Id so that said brackets may also have a limited axial movement relative to said sleeves to permit the rollers 68 carried thereby to be raised or lowered within certain limits to main-- tain the same in cooperative alignment with the lower surface of the guide plates 15 as illustrated in Figure 3. In order that each bracket m6 may be readily adjusted axially relative to the sleeve I9 and secured in the adjusted position, I have provided a stud lil'I for each bracket. Each of these studs is secured as shown in Figure 3, to the bed plate 3 beneath a respective bracket I05 and has the upper end thereof provided with a nut I08 screw threaded thereon. Each of these nuts I68 has the upper end thereof in engagement with the lower face of the corresponding backet I05 so that axial movement of each nut relative to the stud it will effect the raising and lowering of the bracket I66. Each bracket IE6 and the corresponding nut I08 is secured in the adjusted position by a screw I09 which extends downwardly through an arcuate slot IIB formed in the bracket Hi6 and which has the lower end thereof screw threaded in the upper end portion of the corresponding stud lfl'i.

In addition to the guide rollers 61 and 68 and guide discs I5 and I6 I have provided a guide plate 1 52 which is mounted intermediate the rollers I2, I3 and I i. This plate H2 is bolted or otherwise removably secured to the bed plate 3 with the upper surface thereof maintained in the horizontal or transverse plane of the upper surface of the guide discs I6 and spacing collar 24 as shown in Figures 14 and 15. The rear vertical side of the plate I I2 is provided with spaced arcuate recesses H3 conforming in outline to the peripheral surface of the spacing collars 20 so as to closely fit about the adjacent peripheral surface of said collar. Likewise the forward vertical surface of the plate is provided with an arcuate recess Ht intermediate the ends of the plate conforming in contour to the peripheral surface of the spacing collar 24 for closely fitting about the adjacent surface of said collar. The rear upper edge of each recess H3 is also provided with an arcuate groove H3 corresponding in contour to the peripheral edge of the guide discs 26 which are of greater diameter than the rollers i3 and M and spacing collars 29 for receiving the marginal portion of the discs I6 therein. It will thus be seen that the guide plate Hf will effectively engage and support the outer or lower horizontal edge of the vertical flange a of the bar during the passing of said bar between rollers I2, I3 and It and thereby prevent any possibility of lateral buckling of the bar in the direction of the axis of the bending rollers during the bending operation.

When operating the machine it will be understood that as hereinbefore stated the axial length of the bending rollers I2, I3 and I4 are substantially equal to the width of the inner surface of the vertical flange as a of the angle bar to be bent. The rollers 61 and 68 are adjusted so as to extend as nearly as possible radially from the center of curvature to be produced with the adjacent surfaces of the upper and lower rollers 67 and 68 positioned in the horizontal or transverse plane of the adjacent surface of the guide discs I6 and I5. The roller I2 is brought into proper relation with the rollers I3 and M by the operation of motor 58 through the medium of the screw member 49, slide bar 43 and latch ll so as to produce a curvature having a radius which is substantially equal to or slightly larger than that ultimately desired.

Assuming now that the bending rollers I2, I3 and I4 are rotated in the direction of the arrow Y in Figure 13. The work stock as a straight piece of angle bar A is fed between the rollers 61 and 538 positioned at the right-hand side of the bed plate 3 as viewed in Figure 1 with one of the flanges as a of the bar positioned uppermost and with the free edge of the face thereof facing the forward bending roller I2. As the forward end of the bar enters between the rollers the horizontally disposed flange a will extend into the annular groove 23 provided between the roller 1 2 and the guide disc 22 while the other or vertical flange a will contact with the peripheral surface of the roller I4. The bar A is thus moved longitudinally between the guide rollers 61 and 68, guide discs I5 and I5 and the bending rollers I2 and I4 until the leading end of the bar engages the rear bending roller I3 as shown by broken lines Figure 13. Roller I3 has the peripheral surface thereof provided with the conventional grooves or recesses I3 for effecting the forward movement of the work. As soon as the bar A engages the peripheral surface of the roller I3 the leading end of said bar is carried forwardly thereby toward the bending roller l2 in the usual manner without effecting bending of the bar until the vertical flange a is brought into contact with the lower base portion of the bending roller I2 as illustrated in Figure 16.

As the bar is now moved longitudinally and also laterally toward the roller l2 said bar will be bent by the action of the rear rollers I3 and I4 about the forward roller I2 into circular formation. At the same time the inherent resistance of the bar to this bending action will force the heel as a of the bar which is then unsupported by the roller I2, laterally toward the roller I2 out of the normal plane of the vertical or circumferential flange a of said bar. Inasmuch, therefore, as the lower or free edge of the flange a is in contact with the base portion of the bending roller I2 it follows that this flange will be stretched outwardly relative to the heel a" of the bar as indicated at Z Figure 13 at a position midway between the rollers I3 and I4. At the same time this lateral movement of the heel of the bar toward the forward roller I2 forces the horizontal or radial flange a deeper into the groove 23 until the inner or free edge thereof contacts with the flange 2! at which position the heel of the bar will be raised slightly above the horizontal plane of the lower face of the guide discs is due to the torque produced on the bar by roller i2 so that the radial flange a will be maintained in contact with the tapered lowered surface of the guide disc 22 as shown in Figure 15. This disc 22 then functions to not only prevent further lateral deflection of the heel a and flange a in the direction of the axis of the bending rollers but will also maintain the normal right-angular relation of the flanges a and a to each other.

It will be understood that during this deflection of that portion of the angle bar which engages the roller I2 both circumferentially and longitudinally of the axis of curvature the portions of said bar contacting rollers I3 and I4 will be maintained in their normal positions relative to said axis of curvature due to the coaction of the guide plate H2 and guide discs I5 and I6 with said rollers. It is to be understood that while the angle of taper of the peripheral surface of bending roller I2 and of the lower surface of the guide disc 22 may vary within certain limits for work of different grades or gauges this angle is at the most relatively slight being not more than approximately five or six degrees to the axis of the roller. In other words, the taper of the peripheral surface of the bending roller I2 and of the lower surface of the guide disc 22 is such as to produce only suflicient distortion of the flanges a and a to offset the inclination of the bar to be deflected in the opposite direction by the stresses produced thereon during the bending operation. It thus follows that when the bar emerges from between the bending rollers the flanges a and 11' thereof will not only be in normal angular relation to each other but will also be maintained in parallel and normal relation respectively to the axis of curvature of the bar.

In the structure shown in Figures 21, 22 and 23 the rollers as I30, I3I and I32, are mounted on shafts 8, 6 and I, respectively, and operated in substantially the same manner as rollers I2, I3 and I4. In this instance the back or base rollers I3! and E32, are tapered or are of frusto conical formation as well as the front or middle roller I30 and are arranged in reverse order to that of the front roller, that is, the back rollers I3I and I32 are mounted on the shafts with the base or end of larger diameter positioned uppermost while the front or middle roller I33 is mounted on the shaft 8 with the base or end of larger diameter positioned lowermost. It is thus seen that while the adjacent peripheral surfaces of the back rollers and the front roller are inclined relative to the axes of the rollers, they are in parallel relation with each other.

The front or middle roller I33 is of plain frusto conical formation as shown in Figure 23 and is mounted upon the shaft 8 between the spacing collar 24 and nut H. In this instance a second spacing collar 23' and a plurality of relatively thin shims I33 are mounted upon the shaft 8 in termediate the roller 333 and spacing collar 24 whereby the roller I33 may be fixedly secured in different positions axially on shaft 8 for bringing said roller into proper cooperative alignment with the rear or base rollers I3I and I32. Also there is a guide disc I34 mounted on the shaft 8 between the nut I1 and the upper end of the roller I33. This disc I 33 is of larger diameter than the adjacent end portion of the roller I30 so that the marginal portion of the disc will extend beyond the peripheral surface of the roller for bearing engagement with the free longitudinal edge of one of the flanges of the angle bar during the bending operation.

The two rear or base rollers I3I and I32 are constructed alike. Each of these rollers, like the roller I30, is of frusto-conical formation and has the lower end thereof, that is, the end having the smaller diameter, provided with a circular hub or flange $35 of less diameter than the adjacent end of the roller. This flange I35 c0- operates with a guide disc I36 mounted upon the corresponding shaft 6 or T to form an annular recess I31 for the reception of a flange of the angle bar during the bending operation. Each of the rollers I3I and I32 is mounted upon its corresponding shaft 3 or I, in a manner similar to that in which the rollers I3 and I4 are mounted upon said shafts, that is, by a nut I'I, not shown, and a spacing sleeve I9 and collar 20. The spacing sleeve I3 in this instance contacts directly with the corresponding roller while the guide disc I33 is interposed between the roller and the collar 2E3 as shown in Figure 22.

The upper side surface of the guide disc I36 adjacent the recess I3! is tapered outwardly and downwardly as illustrated at I36 so as to extend substantially normal to the adjacent peripheral surface of the corresponding roller I3I or I32. The flange I35 is spaced from the adjacent marginal edge of the roller I32 a distance substantially equal to the width of the inner side of the flange of the angle bar to be received in the recess I31 so that when the other flange of the bar is in contact with the peripheral surface of the roller, the longitudinal free edge of the flange registering in the recess will contact with the peripheral surface of the hub or flange I 35. Also the axial length of the hub or flange I35 is substantially equal to the thickness of the marginal edge portion of the flange engaged in the recess I3! so that the walls of the said recess at the inner end thereof will permit the free edged portion of the flange of the angle bar positioned in the recess I3? to readily move longitudinally therethrough and at the same time to be in sufiicient close contact with said edge that the same will be maintained in a predetermined position and prevented from being distorted or deflected laterally by the stresses produced thereon during the bending operation.

When utilizing the rollers I30, I3I and I32 for bending an angle bar as A, the forward or middle roller I33 and the guide disc I34, are so positioned upon the shaft 8 by the provision of spacing collar 24 and shims I33 of proper thicknesses, that the upper end of the roller and the lower surface of the disc will be maintained in a horizontal plane slightly below the horizontal plane of the upper ends of the rear or base rollers I3I and I32 as illustrated in Figures 22 and 24. In other words, the roller I and disc I34 are so positioned relative to the rollers I3I and I32 that the lower surface of the guide disc I34 will be spaced from the horizontal plane passing through the recesses I3! at the lower inner edge thereof a distance slightly less than the width of the exterior surface of the angle bar flange which contacts with the peripheral surfaces of the rollers. This spacing of the guide disc I34 from the recess I31 may vary with different sizes of angle bars and with angle bars of different degrees of hardness. This distance, however, is to be such that the lateral stresses exertcd by the cooperation of the walls of the recess and the guide disc I34 upon the angle bar during the bending operation, will assist in counteracting the stresses set up by the bending rollers tending to produce distortion of the angle bar in the direction of the axis of curvature produced.

In operation the angle bar A is fed between the rollers in the same manner as hereinbefore described when utilizing the rollers I2, I3 and I with the exception that the bar is positioned so that the flange as a which lies in a plane extending substantially normal to the axis of the curvature to be produced, has the free longitudinal edge thereof extending away from said axis as shown in Figure 21. As the angle bar enters between theforward roller I38 and the adjacent base roller as I32, the horizontal flange a will extend into the recess I31 of said latter roller as indicated by broken lines in Figure 21. As the forward end of the angle bar engages the peripheral surface of the other base roller IZI said end of the bar will .be carried forwardly toward the middleroller I39 simultaneously with the forward longitudinal movementof the bar between the rollers until the vertical flange a of the angle bar is brought into contact with the peripheral surfaces of both rollers ISIS and I32. As the rollers continue to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 21, the angle bar will be fed forwardly to effect bending of the bar about the forward roller I38 into circular formation. At the same time the inherent resistance of the bar to this bending action will force the vertical flange a into close contact with the peripheral surfaces of the rollers I33 I3! and I32 while the other flange a will be forced into the recesses I31 as shown in Figure 2 1. Simultaneously with this positioning of the angle bar relative to the bending rollers the guide disc I34 will contact with the upper or free longitudinal edge of the vertical flange a and force that portion of the bar which lies intermediate the rollers I35 and I32 downwardly in the direction of the axis of the curvature being formed as illustrated in Figure 24.

This co action between the disc I34, recesses I37 and taper-ed surfaces of the bending rollers as will be observed by referring more particularly to Figures 21, 22 and 23, forces the heel a" of the angle bar outwardly away from the axis of curvature so that said heel i formed with a curvature of greater diameter than the upper or "free edge portion of thevertically disposed flange a. The degree to which this bending of the horizontal flange a and theheel a of the angle bar exceeds that of the upper portion of the flange a, is sufficient to offset the action of the tensile and compression stresses produced upon the bar during the bending operation tending to move the heel portion of the bar, when said bar is released, to a position inside that of the outer portion of the vertical flange a, that is toward the center of the curvature produced. In other words, the stretching action of the tapered surfaces of the rollers upon the heel portion of the angle bar combined with the lateral stresses produced upon the bar by the action of the walls of the recesses I3? and the guide disc I34 is sufficient to offset the action of the tensile and compression stresses produced on the bar during the bending operation tending to distort the bar in the direction of the axis of the curvature produced. It is thus seen that when the bar is removed from between the rollers one of the flanges thereof will extend in a plane sub stantially normal tothe axis of the curvature of the bar while the other flange of the bar will extend in a plane substantially parallel with said axis.

It will now be readily understood that I have produced a bending apparatus which not only accurately bends angle bars into a curvature substantially equal to a predetermined radius but this result is obtained without the use of the usual attachments designed to cooperate with the bending rollers for counteracting the strains. set up by the bending rollers by twisting or deflecting the work in the direction of the axis of curvature. Furthermore, as hereinbefore stated, the degree of taper of the work engaging surface of the bending rollers and guide discs are such that a suiiicient stretching of the flanges of the angle bar will be produced to require the Work to be passed between the roller a minimum number of times and thereby contribute to the economical and efllcacious operation of the machine.

Although I have shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown as various changes both in the form and relation of the parts thereof may readily be made without department from the spirit of invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for bending metal angle bars into circular form, a set of rollers for feeding and bending the bars, said rollers being spaced so that one roller exerts pressure upon the bar at a point intermediate the other rollers, said latter rollers having the peripheral surfaces thereof arranged in parallel relation with each other and inclined relative to the peripheral surface of the former roller, and guide discs associated with each of said rollers to rotate therewith, one disc for the pressure roller and two discs for each of the other rollers, said discs having bearing surfaces arranged substantially normal to said peripheral surfaces respectively, the bearing surfaces of the disc associated with said pressure roller being spaced from the end of said roller to provide a recess for receiving one of the flanges of the angle bar therein and the discs for each of the other rollers being extended beyond the peripheral surface of the corresponding roller and spaced apart axially of the roller a distance substantially equal to the width of the second flange of the angle bar for operatively engaging corresponding opposed surfaces of the bar for hold ing said bar in fixed predetermined relation with said peripheral surfaces during the bending op- -eration.

2. In a machine for bending angle bars into circular form, a set of feeding and bending rollers arranged to engage opposite of one of the flanges of the bar, one of rollers having an annular groove for receiving the other flange of the angle bar, the peripheral surface of said latter roller being inclined with respect to the peripheral surfaces of the other rollers, guide discs mounted at the ends of the remaining rollers of said set to rotate therewith, said discs having bearing surfaces extending outwardly beyond and arranged substantially normal to said peripheral surfaces respectively for operatively engaging corresponding opposed surfaces of the bar, and additional guide means pivotally mounted exteriorly of the rolers for swinging movement toward and from the axis of curvature of the bar and engageable with said opposed surfaces of said bar and cooperating with guide discs for holding the bar in fixed predetermined relation with said peripheral surfaces dining the bending operation.

3. In a machine for bending angle bars into circular form, three cooperative feeding rollers having parallel axes arranged at the angles of a triangle for engaging opposite faces of one of the flanges and feeding the angle bar endwise, one of said rollers having an annular groove for receiving the other flange of the angle bar, a member at one end of the grooved roller having a bearing surface constituting one side of said groove, said bearing surface and the peripheral surface of the grooved roller being arranged in normal relation to each other and inclined relative to the axis of said roller, and bearing members associated with the other rollers arranged in spaced relation axially of said rollers and extended beyond the peripheral surfaces of the corresponding rollers for receiving the first mentioned flanges of the angle bar in holding relation between them.

i. In a machine for bending a metal bar having a flange extended in a plane normal to the axis of the curvature to be produced and with the free edge thereof facing inwardly toward said axis and another flange extending parallel with said axis, a set of feeding and bending rollers arranged to engage opposite faces of the latter flange of the bar, one of said rollers having an annular groove for receiving the first mentioned flange of the bar, the peripheral surface of said latter roller and one of the side surfaces of the groove being arranged in substantially normal relation to each other and inclined with respect to the peripheral surfaces of the other rollers, said groove having the axial length of the inner end wall thereof substantially equal to the thickness of the free edge of the first mentioned flange and spaced from the adjacent peripheral surface of the roller a distance substantially equal to the width of the flange whereby the walls of the groove supportably engage said flange during the bending operation.

5. In a machine for bending anglle bars into circular form, cooperative rollers arranged to engage and feed said metal bar between them, said rollers being arranged so that one roller'exerts pressure on one of the flanges of the bar at a point intermediate the other rollers, said one roller having an annular groove at one end thereof, a guide member arranged at said grooved end of said pressure roller having a bearing surface facing said groove and spaced therefrom to provide a recess between said member and roller for receiving the other flange of the angle bar,

said bearing surface and the peripheral surface of the roller being arranged in substantially normal relation with each other and inclined relative to the axis of the roller, and power means for moving the grooved roller and guide member toward and from the other rollers.

6. In a machine for bending metal bars into circular form, a support, feeding and bending rollers rotatably connected with the support, a frame element, a bending roller journaled on said frame element, means rotatably connecting the frame element with the support whereby said frame may swing about a fixed axis to bring the roller carried thereby into and out of cooperative relation with the first mentioned rollers, power means for rotating the rollers in unison, and means adapted to hold the frame against said swinging movement for releasably maintaining the rollers in cooperative relation with each other including a control element operatively connected with the support for movement with respect thereto toward and from the frame element, a latch member pivotally connected with one of the elements nd movable into and out of holding engagement with the other element, and means for holding the control element in fixed relation with the support.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6 having separate power means for actuating the control element.

8. In a machine for bending metal bars into circular form, a support, feeding and bending rollers rotatably connected with the support, a frame element, a feeding and bending roller journaled on said frame element, pivotal means rotatably connecting the frame element with the support whereby said frame may swing about a fixed axis to bring the roller carried thereby into and out of cooperative relation with the first mentioned rollers, power means for rotating the rollers in unison, guide means for the bar including a work supporting member positioned at one side of said frame and operatively connected with said pivotal means for swinging movement relative to the frame element toward and from the roller carried by said element, and means for releasably securing the work supporting member against said swinging movement.

9. In a metal bending machine of the class described, a set of metal feeding and bending rollers, sai-d rollers being spaced so that one roller exerts pressure upon the metal at a point intermediate the other rollers, supporting means for said pressure roller including a frame pivotally mounted to swing about a fixed axis toward and from the other rollers, power means including gears connected with the rollers and an idler gear mounted to rotate about said fixed axis having constant meshing engagement with the gear connected with the pressure roller during said swinging movement of the frame for operating said rollers in unison, and a manually operated control means coacting with the gears and with the supporting means for selectively causing the frame to be actuated by the power means to bring said one roller into and out of cooperative relation with the other rollers.

10. In a metal bending machine of the class described, a set of metal feeding and bending rollers, said rollers being spaced so that one roller exerts pressure upon the metal at a point intermediate the other rollers, power means for rotating said rollers in unison including a shaft secured to said one roller, supporting means for said one roller including a frame member rotatably supporting said shaft and mounted for swinging movement about a fixed axis spaced from said shaft toward and from the other rollers, said power means including a gear secured to the shaft and a second gear mounted to rotate about said fixed axis and operatively connected to the first mentioned gear to transmit motion thereto, and a manually operated control means associated with the power means and with the supporting means including a brake shoe carried by the frame member and adapted to move into and out of frictional engagement with said shaft for selectively causing the supporting means to be actuated by the power means to bring said one roller into and out of cooperative relation with the other rollers.

11. In a machine for bending angle bars into circular form, three cooperative feeding rollers having substantially parallel axes arranged at the angles of a triangle for engaging opposite faces of one of the flanges and feeding the angle bar endwise, a supporting frame, means rotatably connecting one of said rollers on said frame, said frame being pivotally mounted to swing about a fixed axis arranged at one side of the roller carried thereby, power means for rotating the rollers and for swinging said frame including gear III members operatively connected with the rollers and an idler gear mounted in meshing engagement with the gear connected with the roller carried by the frame and to rotate about said fixed axis, and manually operated means including a holding member carried by the frame and movable into and out of operative connection with the latter gear for releasably maintaining said gear and frame against rotary movement with respect to each other.

12. A device as in claim 11 having separate power operated means releasably connected with the frame for holding said frame against swinging movement when the roller carried thereby is in cooperative relation with the other rollers.

13. A bending and feeding roller member for a machine for bending an angle bar into curved form, said roller member having a recess for receiving a flange of the angle bar therein, the peripheral surface of said roller member and one side of the recess being arranged in substantially normal relation to each other and inclined with respect to the axis of rotation of said member, the other side wall of the recess and the inner end wall thereof being substantially normal to each other with said inner wall extending substantially parallel with said axis of rotation and spaced from the adjacent peripheral surface of the roller member a distance substantially equal to the width of the flange received in the recess,

whereby the walls of the recess and said peripheral surface supportably engage said flange and maintain the same in angular relation to the axis of rotation of the roller member when the angle bar is pressed into engagement with the roller member during the bending operation.

14. A bending machine as defined in claim 8 having manually operated means connected with the support for producing swinging movement of the work supporting member with respect to the roller carried by the frame element.

15. In a machine for bending angle bars into circular form, a set of feeding and bending rollers arranged to engage opposite faces of one of the flanges of the bar, one of said rollers having means associated therewith providing an annular recess for receiving the other flange of the angle bar, the peripheral surface of said latter roller being arranged in inclined relation to the peripheral surfaces of the other rollers, the side wall of said recess adapted to confine the outer side of the second mentioned flange being arranged in substantially normal relation to said inclined peripheral surface of the roller to provide a bearing surface adapted to engage the outer free edge of said second mentioned flange.

16. In a machine for bending angle bars into circular form, a set of cooperative feeding and bending rollers having parallel axes, said rollers comprising a middle roller and two base rollers arranged to receive a flange of the bar between them so that said middle roller exerts pressure on said flange at a point intermediate the base rollers, each of said base rollers having an annular recess adapted to receive the other flange of the bar therein, bearing means associated with the middle roller adapted to engage the free edge of the first mentioned flange and arranged to coact with the walls of the recess of the base rollers for deflecting the portion of the bar intermediate the base rollers engaged thereby laterally out of the normal position of said bar portion in a direction substantially parallel with said axes of the rollers, and means for rotating said rollers in unison.

1'7. In a metal bending machine as set forth in claim 16 wherein the middle and base rollers are of frusto-conical formation and the base rollers are arranged with the larger ends thereof adjacent the smaller end of the middle roller in cooperative relation therewith to force the heel portion of the angle bar intermediate the base rollers laterally in a direction away from the axis of curvature being produced a greater distance than that of the free edge portion of the flange engaged by the rollers.

WILLIAM E. KANE 

